2M 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Thei-e is one bad practice that seems 

 to be adopted by some exhibitoi-s, 

 namely, that of ringing the bearing 

 branches in order to increase the size of 

 the berries. As this practice greatly 

 im])airs the flavour of the fruit, pro- 

 ducing watery; dropsical berries, it 

 should not be encouraged, and exhi. 

 bitors should be restricted to naturally 

 grown fruit. Skilled judges will at 

 once detect these abnormal fruits, and 

 societies should instruct them to dis- 

 card all such in making their awards. 



There was also a very creditable dis- 

 play of peaches. The crop was almost 

 cut off by the cold easterly storm that 

 visited us when the trees were in 

 blossom. The early Crawford seems 

 to have escaped, somehow, in many 

 places, and those who have been thus 

 favoured will reap golden harvests. 

 We now have varieties ripening in 

 July, followed by other sorts which 

 keep up a supply until almost winter. 



It is gratifying to note how from 

 year to year fruit culture is developing 

 :and extending over the province, as 

 appears from the exhibits which are 

 made at our autumnal shows. We 

 believe, however, that far greater 

 things are yet in store, and that Onta- 

 rio will be the great fruit growing 

 country of this continent. 



The Sharplbss Strawberry did as 

 well as ever, being the largest of all as 

 usual, and more productive. It is not 

 particularly heavy soil this variety requires 

 to do well, but exceedingly high culture. 

 The soil must be rich, and well manured 

 also ; to have it do its best a good sandy 

 loam is apparently the soil best suited to 

 its wants. — Farm and Garden. 



JOTTINGS BY THE WAY IX THE 

 EASTERN DISTRICT. 



In a somewhat busy season, (and tell 

 me the time to the tiller of the soil that 

 is'nt busy), I stole a day in the inter- 

 ests of the Fruit Growers' Association, 

 and submit the following, which may 

 interest some : — 



Ajjp^es. — They sliould be last on our 

 list. Our report of them must be un- 

 satisfactory. In quantity they are a fair 

 crop, but in most cases diseased, the 

 Fameuse so much so as to be almost 

 unsaleable. We try to pare as many 

 as we can, and so used, they are as 

 good as the best, but the process is a 

 slow one. 



Heartily we will thank the man who 

 will give us the cause of this black 

 spot or fungus, and more him who will 

 give us a cure. 



In the Horticulturist, March, 1882, 

 is a paper from J. B. Merrill, from 

 which we had^ W&pek that sulphur ap- 

 plied as theii©i^iggested would effect a 

 cure. ,_iWp tried the experiment on 

 100. trees, and found it a failure. It 

 has been suggested to me by one well 

 versed in these matters, that I drove 

 the plug so far into the tree as to pre- 

 vent the sulphur fumes passing up with 

 the sap ^ that may be, we will repeat 

 tj^, experiment, using grafting wax to 

 cover the orifice. 



Potatoes. — The Early Rose is still 

 the favorite, and buyers ask for it in 

 preference to all other kinds, simply 

 because they know it to be a first-class 

 table potato. So it is, but the Beauty 

 of Hebron is earlier and of better 

 flavor. 



The Dempsey is in every respect 

 good, prolific, and good to use the year 

 round. The Peerless I have found 

 among the best for spring use. With 

 fair play it yields abundantly. Al- 

 though of very large size, I have always 



